"I must underline that the US has provided a number of assurances of uninterrupted supplies of fuel....Even after these assurances, if all measures fail and supplies to our safeguarded reactors are disrupted, India retains the sovereign right to take all appropriate measures to fully safeguard its interests," Singh said.

Replying to a debate in both Houses of Parliament on Indo-US nuclear deal, the Prime Minister said the plan to separate civilian and military nuclear facilities does not not in any way undermine the integrity of the country's Nuclear Doctrine.

The Doctrine stipulates a credible minimum deterrent based on a policy of 'no-first-use' and assured capability of inflicting unacceptable damage on an adversary indulging in a nuclear first strike. "The separation plan will not limit our option either now or in the future to address evolving threat scenarios with appropriate responses consistent with our nuclear policy of restraint and responsibility," he said.

Dispelling apprehensions voiced by Left allies and Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Singh said "there is no question of India accepting a cap on our deterrent potential". Based on assessment of threat scenario, Government has ensured that there would be adequate availability of fissile material and other inputs to meet both "current and future requirements" of the strategic programme, he said.

In the Rajya Sabha, he assured members that implementation of the nuclear deal would be contingent upon Washington fulfilling its obligations that covered ratification by the US Congress. Explaining the rationale behind India entering into the accord, the Prime Minister said availability of import of nuclear fuel and removal of restrictive international trading regimes would increase the country's manoeuvrability in meeting the challenge of energy security. (PTI)

"The Shillong Times editor received a midnight call from the policemen attempting to interrogate him," the Country Reports on Human Rights Practice-2005 released on Wednesday said. The cops were trying to interrogate the Editor, Manas Chaudhuri, about a news item alleging that security forces had burned tribal houses in the State, it said.

On June 10 a group of plain clothed policemen visited some senior journalists in connection with the news item. The Shillong Press Corps protested the harassment of journalists by the police and the Meghalaya Government, it added. " The issue was resolved informally, after a press boycott of the Government programmes led to a negotiated compromise," it added.

The Indian law provides for freedom of speech and of the press with the Government generally respecting a free press, the report said. The press in India is mostly selfregulated and there are institutions like the Press Council of India, it said adding but there are instances of gross violations like the Meghalaya incident, it added.

The annual report on all the countries of the world receives wide attention and Government reaction. So far the Government of India has not reacted on this year's report. The incident in Meghalaya received condemnation from all over the country and even abroad.

"I cannot say anything about a case pending before me. Parties come and parties do not come (before the court).Yet matters are decided," he said, referring Article 141 of the Constitution under which the law declared by the apex court becomes the law of the land.

Justice Sabharwal was replying to a question by a reporter who said an impression has been created that a confrontation was building up in view of the Speaker's refusal. "I have said it before, reiterate it today there cannot be any question of confrontation between the three organs of the State," he said. "I do not know where from you get this impression?" the CJI said. (PTI)

Mumbai: A day before the 13th anniversary of Mumbai serial bomb blasts, a major terrorist strike in the city was averted Saturday with the timely detection of two kgs of explosive Ammonium Nitrate from the Byculla railway station in Central Mumbai.

Apart from the explosive filled in a polypack water bottle, police also recovered a pocket-size transformer, that could have provided necessary current if a detonator was to be attached to the explosive device, Police Commissioner AN Roy said told reporters here Saturday.

The explosives was taken to the Girgaum Chowpatty in south Mumbai, where Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) team defused the device. The samples of the explosive was sent for forensic examination.

The recovery comes in the backdrop of twin bomb blasts in the temple town Varanasi on Tuesday. Police is taking the seizure seriously since it has occurred a day before the 13th anniversary of Mumbai serial bomb blasts which claimed 256 lives and caused immense property damage.

The Ammonium Nitrate was detected after the ATS swooped on a tip off. It was found stored on the loft inside the gent's toilet block at the Byculla Railway station in central Mumbai, police said. "A high-alert has been sounded in the city and security has been tightened in all places of worship, railway stations and vital installations," Roy said.

Mumbai, which has witnessed several terrorist attacks since 1993, has fortunately not seen any major terrorist act in the past two years, although police foiled two such attempts in the past two months. Roy said that Ammonium Nitrate was also traced in the explosions that occurred at Varanasi earlier this week, but added that the explosive devices used there also contained RDX. (PTI)

New Delhi: The Bar Council of India (BCI) is very soon going to say good bye to its colonial mode of addressing judges of Supreme Court and High Court as 'Mylord' and 'Lordship'. Recently BCI had adopted a resolution during its regular meeting with the state bar councils to replace the century-old addressing terms calling them as 'relics of colonial past'.

"We have sent a circular to all state bar councils and sought their suggestions on the issue within three weeks," BCI chairman Jagannath Patnaik told PTI.

However, Patnaik maintained that the subordinate courts will have freedom to select the term by which they want to address the court. Jagadev, an elected member of the BCI said the council is trying to draft a uniform mode of addressing which will be applicable in all High courts of the land and Supreme court.

"For the High court and the Supreme court, we are considering three words, i.e., Sir, Mr Justice and your honour. We have also directed the state bar councils to suggest some other words, which they deem fit," Jagadev said.

However, for subordinate courts they will continue with their 'Janab', 'hazoor' or whatever they decide according to their vernacular dialects.

Earlier, on February 6 this year the Supreme court turned down the PIL filed by the Progressive and Vigilant Lawyers Forum, seeking a change in this. However, the Apex court maintained that any move in this direction will have to be taken by the Bar Councils. (PTI)

"It could not have come at a better time for me. My son’s eye surgery was fixed for Sunday and we were wondering what would happen as his condition is very delicate," said Anant Kishnan, a corporate executive.

The decision to call off the strike came after the government promised to institute a four-man committee - including members of the Maharashra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) - to look into the issue of security for doctors and promised to check the feasibility of reducing their working hours.

MARD members said they would put in extra hours to clear the backlog of cases after assurances from the Government that no action would be taken against them for going on strike. The Government agreed to increase their stipend to Rs.12,500 a month, less than the original demand of Rs.13,500. (IANS)

Kolkata: Alleging that the Congress-led ruling UPA at the Centre was trying to bring in reservation on the basis of religion, BJP on Saturday said his party would not allow any such move. "Whether we get votes or not, BJP will not allow any move to give reservation on the basis of religion," party president Rajnath Singh said at an election rally here.

Singh also alleged that "the Congress and communist nexus has encouraged communalism". Referring to the recent demonstration during the visit of US President George Bush, he said "the Left indulged in communalism even on an international issue". (PTI)

Addressing the mediapersons here, Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur said in the next 30 days entire family would commit suicide at the Wagah border if the Indian Government failed to bring him back safely within a week.

But before taking the extreme step the family members will sit on a hunger strike at the border and stage a protest before the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to mount pressure on Islamabad to extend Sarabjit unconditional clemency, she said. "We will also urge the High Commission to grant us visa to visit the Kotlakhpat Rai Jail at Lahore where Sarabjit is languishing for the past one-and-half decade," she told the media in presence of Sarabjit's wife Sukhbir and daughter Poonam.

She urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that being a Sikh he should come forward to hold dialogue with Pakistan to ensure her brother's early release.

Ridiculing Pakistani Law Minister Wasi Zafar's statement that the President had no power to pardon Sarabjit, whose review petition against the death sentence was rejected by country's Supreme court, Dalbir said as per the top most Indian lawyers the President is empowered to release Sarabjit even if his cases are pending in the apex court.

Sarbjit was never a terrorist and strayed to Pakistan under the influence of alcohol 1990 from the Khalra Border Sector near their village Bikhiwind, when there used to be no barbed fencing on the Indo Pak border, she said with moist eyes.

Poonam, the yougest daughter of Sarabjit, who was just 23 days old when he crossed over to Pakistan, said she was anxious to see her father at the earliest but added that all depended on whether the High Commission granted them visa to visit the country. (PTI)

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh on Saturday said there was an urgent need to redefine the term 'office of profit', on which ground his disqualification has been sought from the Rajya Sabha. "There is a urgent need to redefine the term office of profit," he said reacting to the Election Commission's notice to him on a petition seeking his disqualification from the Rajya Sabha for holding office of profit.

London: Hardening its stand, India on Saturday told US and EU that the ongoing trade talks should be wound up if concerns of developing countries in crucial agriculture and industrial sectors are not taken on board.

Varanasi: The two suspects, arrested in connection with the twin blasts in Varanasi, on Saturday underwent an identification parade at a hotel in the temple town, STF sources said here.Sadiq Ali and Ansar, whose faces resembled the sketches released by police on Thursday, were arrested along with six others from a marketplace in Hardoi last evening.

Police officials, however, were tight lipped about the outcome of the identification parade and remained inaccessible to the media. A large number of mediapersons gathered outside the hotel where the identification parade took place. (PTI)

Ranchi: Tribal girls from Jharkhand are being sold by an organised racket of traffickers in the northern states like Haryana and Punjab where they are forced into sex and abortions till they deliver male babies. The horrifying stories of the Jharkhand girls, who were even killed for resisting the sexual slavery, were confirmed to IANS by the State Social Welfare Department.

"Our inquiry has revealed that three girls were sold to different persons to deliver male babies. Presently they are in different ‘Naari Niketans’ (women’s homes) of Haryana," Social Welfare Secretary Sukhdeo Singh told IANS.

Probing into the allegations, the state social welfare department found a number of cases. Rani Kumari (name changed), a resident of Darhi village of Ranchi was one among the unfortunate girls. She was sold to Ajmer Singh of Dohla village of Jind district in Haryana last year. She was murdered in February.

According to officials, Rani first delivered a male baby with Ajmer Singh, who enacted a farcical marriage with Rani. After delivering the baby, Rani was forced to undergo the same with brothers of Ajmer to beget male babies for them too. Her refusal was at the cost of her life.

Sarita (name changed) was taken to New Delhi two years ago with assurance of a job. She was sold to a person in Haryana. She too had to bear a male baby for the man. Likewise, Rinki (name changed) was lured to New Delhi with a job assurance and sold to a person of Punjab where she was raped too for a baby. She, however, managed to escape and later was rescued by a woman’s home.

When the issue came to the notice of the Jharkhand government, the social welfare department started a probe. A team was sent to Haryana and it was found that the girls sold had to pass through sexual slavery to deliver male babies.

"We were shocked to hear the plight of these girls and what they had to undergo to deliver the male babies. After the delivery, the girls are either deserted by their tormentors or forced again into sex with some other man for bearing babies again," said an official who visited Haryana.

The officials said the urge for a male child in Haryana and Punjab is so strong that the men are ready to pay any amount to purchase girls for fathering a boy. The men-women ratio in these two states is fast deteriorating, with the number of females going down drastically.

Officials said the Jharkhand government was trying to bring those girls back home and rehabilitate them. It was also trying to detect more such cases so that the girls caught in the web could be rescued. Every year, thousands of girls migrate from Jharkhand in search of jobs to different cities in the country. Many of them land in wrong hands and are subjected to abuse or sold. Some of the girls return home with AIDS. (IANS)

"After the MBOSE issue, the job reservation is a sentimental issue for the Garos and civil unrest may follow if it is not properly addressed", he warned.

The GSU pointed out that 12 Garos had applied for ten vacancies in the Agriculture department as Extension officers.

According to the job reservation policy, four posts for the Garos, four for the Khasi-Jaintias and two for other communities were to be maintained. "The reality is that only one Garo has been appointed under the 3(F) of the appointment regulation. Out of the remaining three posts meant for the Garos, two were given to the Khasis and another went to a non-tribal", the GSU leader said.

The student body demanded three more Garos to be recruited for aforesaid posts in accordance with the job reservation policy. In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, the GSU pointed out disproportionately low appointments of Garos in the Main Secretariat for the LDA posts.

"More than 200 Khasi LDAs were appointed in the Secretariat in 1999 and the induction of Khasi applicants is going on till date. But only 43 Garos were appointed since then, 13 in 1999 and 30 through special recruitment in 2005", the memorandum stated. The student body termed it as "trampling on the job reservation policy".

Another case of unequal representation of jobs is with regard to the appointment of JDAs. Altogether, 70 Garos passed the written tests for the JDA posts of which only 14 were appointed, while the number of Khasis appointed was 68, the GSU alleged. As per the memorandum, during the appointments of Junior Co-operative Officers in 2003, only six Garos were recruited for the post as against 50 Khasis accommodated in the same year.

Moreover, only one Garo was appointed to the post of Finance and Accounts Officer as against a total of 14 posts. The GSU said so far no Garo was appointed as Finance and Accounts Officer though four eligible Garos had applied for 40 such posts lying vacant.

The anomalies in the Board are due to less manpower and the vacancies in the board should be filled up soon, Mr Sangma asserted. During the meeting of GSU with the Chief Minister, a memorandum regarding the pending demands related to MBOSE and September 30 incident was also handed over to him. 

The GSU while appreciating the judicial enquiry into the firing incidents hoped that the judgment would be fair. However in the memorandum, the GSU pointed out that the transfer of some government servants was singled out unjustly as they have co-operated with the GSU movement on MBOSE.

"We will resort to agitations if the transfer order of these persons are not revoked", the GSU warned.

The GSU also wanted the state government the development projects for Garo Hills. The student body also got assurance from the Chief Minister that the government will release full amount for the construction of higher secondary school at Tura. Appointment of qualified doctors in Civil Hospital, Tura for handling screening equipment and the release of Rs 2 crore for the development of Tura roads were other demands of the Union.

SHILLONG: The GSU has asked KHNAM legislator Paul Lyngoh to come to Tura circuit house on March 17 to debate the state reservation policy. "Since Mr Lyngdoh has accepted our challenge to have a debate on the State reservation policy, we have fixed March 17, 3 pm for discussing the matter", Mr Lyngdoh told reporters.

The Garos are deprived of their quota in the reservation policy, so the meeting should be held at Tura. Tura like Shillong and Jowai is also an important place , Mr Sangma added. He further said that the debate is not for any competition, but to enlighten the public.

SHILLONG: With the Meghalaya's Land Transfer Act coming up for discussions at various levels including the State Assembly for its limitations for quite sometime now, KHNAM, the political wing of KSU, took an extra step to bring the Khasi NGOs under one roof for a consultation on Saturday. The initiative taken by KHNAM president Mr Paul Lyngdoh witnessed diverse opinions coming from different NGOs ultimately boiling down to having immediate measures to curb any abuse of the Act.

"I tried to elicit opinion of various NGOs on the Land Transfer Act and what emerged is the concern over three issues. The first concern is that the land can be transferred from a non-tribal to another non-tribal by means of a will. But, it would be ideal to transfer the land only to close relatives or one's next of kin and not to anybody else", Mr Lyngdoh said.

Another area of concern is the transfer of land for the purpose of educational institutions and industries. Mr Lyngdoh alleged that the indigenous people were alienated from their land for some institutions coming up in the name of tribal interest. "Though there is inadequate representation of the local people in these institutions and industries", he added.

The meeting, which was held at Shillong Club, also took note of some religious structures and places of worship coming up in the vicinity of Shillong for habitation. The presence of increasing number of Scheduled Tribe communities from other NE states in the State is another concern, which the meeting discussed in detail.

Mr Lyngdoh said there were as many as 103 Scheduled Tribe communities in the State. "There are a number of tribes from other Northeastern states transferring land in Meghalaya whereas there is no reciprocal arrangement for land transfer in other Northeastern states for the indigenous people of Meghalaya", the KHNAM president said. 

Quoting an African saying -- Tribal without land is as good as dead - Mr Lyngdoh said it was even the duty of every legislator to push for action before more land was alienated. The State Assembly last December constituted Select Committee with Deputy Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy as the chairman to suggest some amendments to the Act.

"The existing Land Transfer Act has enough room for manipulation", Mr Lyngdoh said, adding that all must put their heads together to get rid of what ails it.

Malki headman HP Oflyn Dohling said that the Dorbar Shnong made the seizure during its routine inspection. "The accused has been running an illegal bar at his residence for the past many years", Mr Dohling said.

In a similar inspection last year also, the local Dorbar seized illicit liquor from the residence of the same person.

Shillong: The first Rhino Cycling-cum-trekking homage expedition team was flagged by GOC 101 Area Maj Gen A K Nanda from Paranjpe Hockey Ground of Assam Regimental Centre in the presence of Commandant ARC Col Subrata Saha and other senior officers of HQ 101 Area.

The homage expedition of the 1st Battalion of Assam Regiment is led by Lt Col Daljeet S Ahlawat along with a team of officers to commemorate the celebration of its battle of Honour Day 'Jessami' on March 28. This is the day of remembrance of veteran North East warriors of the unit who fought the Pre-Independence War at Jessami and saved the day from the Japanese offensive.

The expedition will cover a distance of 422 kms on Hero Cycles and 141 kms of trekking. Enroute, the team members will met the ex-servicemen with the two fold aim of meeting and looking into the welfare of ex-servicemen and secondly, to provide motivation and wisdom to the young team members from the old war veterans. The expedition team will culminate at Jessami.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Khonglam said that Sohra has one of the best sceneries in the country, but upto now it has not been properly tapped or presented. Dr Khonglam hoped that the VCD will act as a channel to informed and showcase the various tourist spots of Sohra to the foreign as well as domestic tourists, and in the other hand, would boost tourism industry. He also stressed that peaceful coexistence is very significant in order to achieve a healthy and peaceful atmosphere where tourists can feel secure to visit any place in the State.

Dr Khonglam also assured financial assistance of Rs Rs 25,000 to Sohra Tourism Development Society (SDTS). Meanwhile, chiefdom of Hima Sohra Syiemship, Mr Freeman Singh Syiem lauded the Society for its contributions towards developing and promoting tourism industry in Sohra and adjoining areas.He said the Hima Sohra Syiemship would provide land to the Society for construction of viewpoints at various tourist spots in Sohra.

The short documentary film is being produced by Coniferous Enterprises in collaboration with the Society.Others present on the occasion included the Headman of various localities, president of the Society, Mr Kynsai Jones Lyngdoh.

In an outrageous serial terrorist strike on the holy city of Varanasi, the ancient Sankat Mochan temple packed with Tuesday worshippers of Lord Hanuman was rocked by a huge blast and two bombs exploded soon after at Cantonment railway station, leaving a total of 16 people dead, and 48 seriously injured. The attacks bore hallmarks of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Six live explosive devices were discovered in different parts of the city.

The attack saw the Central agencies pointing fingers at the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh for ignoring intelligence alerts in the aftermath of the last year's attack on Ayodhya by a gang of jehadis belonging to LeT or the Jaish. The advisory pertained to religious places in Varanasi, besides Mathura and Hardwar. The latest incidents suggest the slide of the country's largest state into lawlessness. The terror attack coincides with rising communal temperature in the volatile state in the wake of what is seen as a massive mobilisation of Muslims over Danish cartoons featuring Prophet Mohammad, the visit of US president George Bush and the vote against Iran.

If willingness was seen as suspect, the uncertainty over the government's fate may have sapped the capacity of the administration in a state where officials are notorious for trimming their reflexes to suit political currents. While terrorist struck, Varanasi district's top officials - DM and police chief were in attendance at the wedding of chief minister's nephew in his native village in Etawah. Mulayam's different stints in Luknow have seen a spike in crimes. While his first two terms escaped adverse scrutiny because of his projection as an "OBC secular bulwark against upper caste majority communalism", this time he comes in for flak for not reining in criminals.

Eastern UP, of which Varansi is the nerve centre, has been among the worst-hit. The region, which is awash in gangs and guns, has also seen an inexplicable growth in madrasas particularly on the Nepal border, causing concern to central agencies who have repeatedly asked the state administration to probe the source of funds as well as the background of students. The region forms part of the trail which infiltrators from Bangladesh use to reach Nepal's Terai region. The BJP blamed the 'soft' policies of the UPA government and the 'minority appeasement politics' of the Samajwadi Party government for the expansion of jihadi terror. "The UPA government has not taken any stern steps to combat terrorism. Instead, it has sent a clear message that it is soft towards terrorists," a BJP spokesman said.

When an al-Qaeda-like Islamist network strikes a country outside the Muslim world, it tends to trigger a civilisational problem. It cannot be anyone's case that the founder of Islam advised his followers to mix religion with the texture of governance. Arguably, the definition of certain terms in Islamic scriptures give rise to dichotomous interpretations but by applying one's mind rationally any ruler should be able to separate right from wrong in the context of exercising such interpretations in the course of administering his or her state.

It does seem apparent, however, that the fillip to utilising religion as a plank led to the creation of Pakistan. Hence one does not know for sure whether the current version of Islam being invoked by terrorist organisations is reflection of the Hindu-Muslim divide in the alternate vein. The most crucial aspect of restraining Islamic outbursts - the Varanasi outrage portrayed a recent one - is for our intelligentsia to forcefully drive home one single minded maxim, namely, the Hindu and Islamic values of life have become dissimilar in the new age. The Hindu-Muslim unity has gone haywire.

The terrorists' war against India, as Aeschylus said 3,000 years ago, truth is the first casualty. Solid, reliable facts and objective truths, always hard to define, become more elusive in times of heightened conflict. The "war on terror" is a new sort of conflict, but truth is certainly embattled and the facts themselves are under heavy fire from all sides, and are daily receiving near-fatal wounds. There is ample evidence that Pakistan while talking peace is recruiting terrorists to destabilise India.Never mind the moral high ground - even the low ground, where the plain facts of a case are established, is getting muddier, more slippery and harder to hold on to by the day. But then, one can argue there is nothing plain, nothing unbiased, about a fact.

Pakistan's self-investigation followed by self-exoneration is never convincing. However, it's hard to work up genuine sympathy for a failure of niceties toward people who would never consider upholding such niceties in return - to stick up for the human rights of people who despise the idea of human rights. And yet the growing evidence of ugly behaviour by Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf is becoming intolerable for India. Anyone who offends against the sacred freedom of Indians in the name of Islam is reprehensible, and the more so if he or she does it in the name of freedom - as in Kashmir. There is no forgiveness for acts of hatred. Daggers thrust in the name of liberty are thrust into liberty's heart. Ttruths allow us - indeed encourage us - to judge attacks by fanatics harshly. But even as we judge others, we should look in the mirror and say the words again. INAV

For many kids and parents across the country, the spicy and crispy wafers may be a pleasant medium to refresh ones mood and bring some respite to a hungry stomach. But for hundreds of women in Indore' Malwa, the potato chips hold a greater significance, as it creates ample job opportunities for them.

The women associated with the potato chips business are happy with the work opportunity and reward they are drawing out of it. "This Malwa potatoes contain less sugar, the potatos do not get red, and the original colour stays. The potatoes that come from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat lose the original colour. The Malwa potatoes are in demand all over India", said Pushp Thakur, a chips businessman.

Even the waste of potatoes is useful as a good fertiliser for agricultural purpose and does not cause pollution of any sort. "The potatoes' waste does not pollute the water and land, this waste is a very good fertiliser for agricultural purpose. We are doing this business for twenty years and we have never suffered due to any bad news here", said Manoj Sani, another chips businessman

"I am into farming since childhood and never came across any difficulty due to the waste material of potatoes", said Radheysham Shadambari, a local farmer

Slowly but steadily this small scale business is becoming very popular, giving employment to about ten to twenty thousand people through it. Evidently, about 80 to 100 trucks of potato chips are sent to different parts of the country on daily basis.  "In my village there is no work, so I have come here to earn. Many people from my village have come here to work. We are satisfied with the money given to us. We work for four months here and earn about fifty rupees a day," said Rupa, a worker

The natives here derive great satisfaction from the fact that due to potatoes they have a source of income to manage their livelihood, preventing them to search for job elsewhere. (ANI)

Sir,

The seven states of South India - MP, Mah, AP, Orissa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & Kerala is equal to the size of Iran (16,48,000 Sq. Km). The population of Iran is 69.5 million while that of South India is 37.2 million (37,21,21,870). Iran is rich in oil and is one of the major oil producing countries in the Middle East and the Arab world. Due to the exhaustion of oil and coal by the year 2025 A.D. - (Pres. Bush of USA), many countries will be going back to water, electric energy, solar and wind energy and nuclear energy. India has few nuclear plants for producing electricity and others alike, in Mah, Tamil Nadu and Orissa. India uses 3% of nuclear energy. For peaceful use of nuclear energy, India should not have opposed the use of the same by Iran. Half of the world, starving population depends on developed countries. Why should we oppose or envy Iran in trying to climb up to be one of the developed countries? India should have developed nuclear energy three times of what it is developing now. If we have one billion empty stomachs, we also have two billion hands to work. What we really need is food and tonic for our brains and the will to do it.

Yours etc.,
K.M. Khonglah
Shillong

Sir,

In our rural area, during the Congress rule of S.M. Krishna in Karnataka, there was a gang rape and murder of a poor 18-year old girl. After police investigation, the result: suicide. A prominent dalit leader was also brutally murdered. Still there is no trace of the culprit.

During Dharam Singh's Congress and JD (S) coalition, there were rapes of two minor ST girls and were subsequently poisoned to death. After some furore, police went through the drama of catching the culprits. Ironically, within six months they were released on bails. The CM and Home Minister beat his earlier records in PWD and of other Congress CMs. He used to auction each and everything in his home department.

Such gruesome atrocities on women and dalits were rampant during Congress rule. Amazingly, the conviction rates nose-dived to almost zero. Under massive corruption, the weakest, especially women and dalits, become major victims. These ground realities are contrary to the Congress claims.

The downfall of corrupt Congress in South has started with Karnataka and will have its domino effect. Due to the lip service it pays to the downtrodden, women, dalits and massive corruption, Congress is going to be in a pathetic state such as in the north. Despite all these, one wonders where are the microscopes of some NGOs, NCW and NHRC? Are they limited to nitpicking in non-Congress and non-Communist ruled states?

Yours etc.,
R K Mani,
Bangalore

Sources also said that Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has demanded to hike in the present fare between Agartala-Dhaka bus services in the wake of increasing expenditure.The existing $11 fare between Kolkata and Dhaka would also be hiked by one dollar from July 1, it was decided, while there would be no increase in fare in the Agartala-Dhaka bus service.

It was decided that a passenger from Tripura who now travels to Kolkata by bus after a break journey to Dhaka from Agartala would be allowed to take up to Rs.15,000 in Indian currency and up to 30 kg of luggage free of charge.

The Garo tribal strongman from Meghalaya announced that a pre-poll seat sharing agreement was reached between his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) and the Asom Gana Parishad-Progressive (AGP-P).

But hours after his announcement, the CPI-M rejected Sangma's claim and said there was no such understanding. "We have not struck any such deal and in fact negotiations are on for an understanding with the parent Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)," an Assam CPI-M leader said.

Sangma went a step further saying the conglomeration has agreed to put up 90 common candidates. The claims of Sangma's grand alliance got yet another setback when AGP-P leader and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta took a different stand.

"We have reservations in having a tie-up with the AUDF. We have an understanding with the NCP," Mahanta told IANS.

The AGP on the other hand has ridiculed Sangma's "false propaganda" ahead of elections to the 126-member house to be held April 3 and April 10. "Sangma is misleading the people by claiming an alliance. In fact, the ground realities are quite different," senior AGP leader Dilip Saikia said. "He is trying to meddle too much in Assam politics and it would be better if he stuck to his own state."

Sangma was not immediately available for comments.

The political situation still remains fluid with less than three weeks to go for the polls. The main opposition AGP is likely to have a pre-poll alliance with the CPI-M and the CPI, besides some smaller regional fronts. The BJP is going it alone after the AGP spurned its offer for a pre-poll understanding. The ruling Congress on the other hand has an alliance with the Bodo People's Progressive Front (BPPF) led by former tribal rebel leader Hagrama Mohilary.

"Let the other parties fight and work hard for an understanding. We are comfortable with the BPPF alone," a senior Congress leader said.

Meanwhile, AUDF president Badruddin Ajmal on Saturday said that though no formal alliance was possible at this stage the party would ensure that there was minimum division of votes so that Congress and BJP were defeated. Releasing AUDF's first list of 16 candidates, Ajmal said alliances with like-minded parties was not possible at this stage as there has to be a common minimum programme but ''we will contest in such a manner so that there is minimum division of votes to defeat Congress and BJP''. (Agencies)

KOHIMA: The Nagaland University Non-Teaching Staff Association(NUNTSA) on Saturday appealed to Governor Shyamal Datta to immediately intervene in the crisis in the university.

NUNTSA president Imchatoshi Pongner and general secretary Wabang Aonok in a statement here said the administratative office of the Nagaland University had been indefinitely locked since March 8 paralyising work. The NUNTSA was concerned over the recent developments in the university that were seriously affecting the careers of thousands of students and staff.

Incidentally, the Post Graduate Students' Union of the university had locked the administrative building in support of the agitation of the Nagaland University Teachers’ Association (NUTA) who are demanding the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) to accept the resignation of Vice-Channcellor Prof GD Sharma, which he submitted on February 28. The NUTA had made allegations of funds mismanagement against him.

Meanwhile, a NUTA delegation camping in New Delhi at present held a series of meetings with the officials of MHRD and submitted documentary evidence. They also requested the President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam to instruct the MHRD to accept the resignation of Prof Sharma.

The week long budget session of the tenth Nagaland legsislative assembly will begin here from March 16. Official sources said the session will begin with the address of the Governor and will have Budget presentation on March 20.

The session which will continue till March 23, will have obituary references, discussion on Governor’s address and introduction of government bills, discussion and voting on supplementary demands for grants of 2005-2006. (UNI)

In another encounter in Imphal East district, two suspected militants were killed by police commandos, attached to district police station, sources said. As commandos stepped up search operation, they found some persons were trying to lob a grenade but it did not explode. An exchange of fire between two sides followed, sources said adding that two militants were killed on the spot and few small arms recovered from them. (PTI)